Death threat for Roger Federer

The organisers of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament have increased security after an online threat to decapitate world number one Roger Federer.

On a Federer fan website, the user posted a doctored image showing a decapitated Federer on his knees on a tennis court, with an axe-wielding executioner posing next to him, and made the outlandish threat to "assassinate" the 17-time grand slam champion "in order to exterminate tennis".

While the credibility of the threat was unknown, organisers are taking no chances and have beefed up security for the Swiss player and his family.